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What is Book 12 of the Iḥyāʾ?
Book 12 of Imam al-Ghazālī's Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn is the Book of Marriage, also called the Book of the Etiquette of Marriage. It is the second book of the quarter on Norms of Daily Life, which al-Ghazālī calls the Quarter on Customs. Imam al-Ghazālī wrote in the 11th to 12th century. The book answers the questions a believer asks about marriage: should I marry, whom should I marry, and how do I live well with my spouse once married? Al-Ghazālī treats marriage as a help in keeping one's religion, and he gives it a spiritual purpose from the first page.
The book has three chapters. Chapter 1 is on the encouragement to marry, and it weighs the benefits of marriage against its dangers. Chapter 2 is on what should be considered at the time of the marriage contract, including the qualities to seek in a wife. Chapter 3 is on the etiquette of living together and the continuity of marriage. It covers the wedding celebration, the husband's further duties, the etiquette of intimacy, and, at the end, divorce. The description calls the whole a guide to the rights of spouses and the spiritual purpose of marriage.
It opens with praise of Allah, who created mankind from water and established both lineage and marriage, who prohibited fornication and condemned it as a grievous sin, and who enjoined, encouraged, and commanded marriage. Then al-Ghazālī states the case plainly: marriage assists in the observance of one's religion, humiliates the devils, and acts as a fortress against the enemy of Allah. The reader is asked to enter marriage with that purpose in view.
Is there an English audiobook of Etiquette of Marriage?
Yes. Joyful Muslims publishes the complete Book 12: Book of Marriage as an English audiobook (about 3 hours), translated from the Arabic, with a word-synced bilingual transcript. It is a guide to marriage in Islam: its spiritual purpose, the rights of spouses, the etiquettes of intimacy, and how a righteous marriage becomes a path to Allah.
Is it free to listen?
The whole library is open to everyone. Every member gets five hours of listening free each month; Joyful+ removes the time limit.
What does it cover?
Three chapters: the encouragement to marry with its benefits and dangers, what to consider at the marriage contract and the qualities to seek in a wife, and the etiquette of married life, including the wedding celebration, the husband's duties, intimacy, and divorce.
Last updated 2026-09-11
Inside the book.
Chapters
Word-synced with the narrator.
The first three minutes are transcribed here. In the app, the Living Manuscript scrolls through the entire book in rhythm with the audio — Arabic alongside English.
Living Manuscript
Listen to the full book in the app for the complete Living Manuscript.
The full, word-synced transcript in Arabic and English is in the app.
